The Chess Game
by 00Verisimilitude00
Summary: Scorpius and Rose engage in an innocent game of chess one night, and it quickly becomes a daily occurance. As they move their pieces across the board, just who will emerge the winner in the much bigger game the two of them are playing?
1. Black in Check

**A/N: **I've played chess maybe twice in my life, and they were both dismal failures. Therefore, please forgive the awkward chess terms that I kind of ripped off Wikipedia and don't really know how to use properly.

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"Oi, anyone open to a game of chess?" I heard Malfoy call out urgently to the great lot of Ravenclaws milling around the common room.

A couple people looked up at his request and shook their heads; a few more looked up and then went back to work as if they hadn't heard. Malfoy looked over to a group of giggling girls by the large round table in the corner. They were whispering excitedly to one and another, every once in a while glancing up at Malfoy's aristocratic profile which was thrown into sharp relief by the small fire.

Merlin, those girls didn't have two brain cells to rub together. Well, I suppose I'm wrong about that, they were Ravenclaws, after all, so they had their academic value. However, in terms of entertaining company? Completely beyond useless.

I also looked up from my Charms essay to sneak a peek at Malfoy. He was looking increasingly desperate; he knew it was only a matter of time until one of those inane sixth year girls volunteered their probably nonexistent chess prowess and vapid conversation. I saw him give an inaudible sigh from across the common room. Just as he bent over to pick up his bag and head up to the seventh year boys dorms – anything to avoid spending time with one of those girls – I shouted, "Hold up, Malfoy!"

I glanced down at my watch. Really, it was only nine thirty. Going to bed so soon, Malfoy? That was just pathetic.

And so that's why I decided to humour him and play one measly game. It'd probably be short too – I was taught by my dad, a master chess player himself.

He jerked his head up and stared, a bit open mouthed, in my direction. "Up for a challenge, then, Weasley?" he asked, smirking.

"Bring it," I called, marching over to where he was setting up the board.

He cast an appraising eye over me. "If you insist."

I sat down across from him. "Since I'm the guest for this game, and it's your chess set, I choose first." I looked up from where his smooth white hands were flurrying across the chessboard to meet his cool grey eyes, daring him to contradict me.

He didn't.

"I'll be white," I continued.

He chuckled. "That makes me black, then?"

"Obviously," I said.

And so that's how we started our daily chess games in the Ravenclaw common room. It always started at precisely nine thirty and ended two hours later at half past eleven. Malfoy proved himself to be a worthy opponent; our games sometimes lasted for two days or more, yet we never got bored (no matter how much Malfoy claimed otherwise) and we never let the other player win. When we finished one early, we'd readily start another, the loser eager to prove that they were not totally incompetent and the winner impatient to prove their title once again.

That first night was the first time I ever saw Malfoy open mouthed in surprise. My guess was that he'd never been beaten this quickly before.

"Check, Malfoy."


	2. Queen to a3

**A/N: So in my mind Al is friends with both Scorpius and Rose, but for some unexplained reason (read: lazy author with no plot handy), Rose never became friends with Al's friend Scorp.**

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringment intended**

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"Rosie, wait up!"

I turned around to meet the voice and was nearly bowled over by my cousin Albus Severus Potter running to meet me at the top of the third floor staircase.

"What's up Al?" I asked conversationally while adjusting my bag on my shoulder.

"What's this I hear about you and Scorpius?" Al accused, pushing up his glasses which had slipped down his nose while he had been tramping up the stairs.

My blue eyes widened. "Nothing," I said quickly, and continued down the corridor.

"Aw come on Rose, I know you," Al panted once he caught up with me. "Something's going on with Scor."

"No," I said defensively, hating the traitorous blush that was slowly spreading across my cheeks. "You've heard wrong. There is nothing between Malfoy and me. Nothing at all."

Al gave me a sceptical look.

I sighed. "We play chess," I huffed. "That's all. Have been for the past week."

"Oh?" Al's face fell. "That's it?"

"Yeah," I said, looking at him curiously. "What did you expect? Broom cupboard snogging? Empty classroom shagging?"

My answer achieved the desired result. Al looked totally revolted. "Bloody hell, no!" He scrunched up his nose. "I do not need those images, Rose Weasley!"

"You asked for it," I retorted.

I felt it wasn't necessary to tell him how many times I had thought of those scenarios too. Or that my reaction would be the polar opposite of Al's if Malfoy ever suggested them.

Well two can play at the interrogation game. "So, Al, how's Vivien?"

Al turned beet red. "Good, I guess, but I really wouldn't know."

Ha! Take that Al. Prying into someone's love life isn't so fun anymore is it, dear cousin of mine?

I smiled. "Oh yeah? You seem to stalk her during all your free peri-"

"I do not stalk her!" Al cut me off hotly.

"Of course you don't," I said, reaching over to condescendingly pat him on the back.

"Oi, knock it off," muttered Al, wiggling away from my touch.

I laughed in the face of his ferocious scowl.

"Where did you hear the whole Malfoy-and-Rose are an item from anyway?" I asked, wondering who would be talking about my actions with my cousin.

Albus bit his lip. After a beat he said nonchalantly, "York. You know, that Ravenclaw girl in our year. She saw you guys coming into the common room together the other night."

That's odd. I'd never thought of York as a gossip or interested in my activities much.

"Why are you so concerned anyway?" I asked, glancing at his suddenly innocent face. He was definitely hiding something.

Gryffindors weren't known for their secret keeping abilities, and I was determined to get answers out of my bespectacled cousin.

"No reason!" Al said lightly, beginning to pull away. "See you in Ancient Runes, Rosie!" He hurried off down the corridor before I could ask him another question.

"Al! Al! Albus! Hey, Potter!" I shouted after him.

Damn Quidditch practice, I thought as I watched him practically sprint away from me. Made that boy too athletic for his own good.

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**A/N: Reviews = unconditional love**


	3. White in Check

I looked around and then glanced down at my watch. It was a quarter past nine; I still had fifteen minutes to kill.

Damn.

It was the Friday the week before Winter Holidays, and there was no way that I was going to start any of the work that the teachers had dumped on us just yet. I mean, Weasley seemed to have some mental desire to start her homework early; I saw her sitting at one oh the tables, bent over some Astronomy assignment or something. Still, I wasn't planning on touching mine until next week at the earliest.

I was bored.

Our chess tradition that we had been carrying on for about a fortnight now started in fifteen bloody minutes. And I had nothing to do.

Well, I suppose that wasn't exactly true. I mean, I could always bother Weasley.

That sounded like a very appealing prospect, actually.

I sauntered over slowly to where Weasley was sitting with her books spread all over her table, completely ignoring the students chattering and giggling around her. Seriously, she was the only one doing work. She was completely mental.

I leaned casually against the table where she was working, resting my arse exactly over her moon chart. I saw her roll her eyes from where I could just discern them beneath her red wispy fringe. "What do you want, Malfoy?" she asked without glancing up at me.

"I have nothing to do," I drawled, wanting to get a good look at her clear blue eyes.

She huffed in annoyance, making her hair flutter.

"You're my lucky victim tonight, Weasley," I told her.

"You know, I can just feel the luck wafting off me in waves," she said sarcastically, still not looking at me.

For some reason that bothered me. A battle of wills, eh, Weasley? I will make you look at me before nine thirty, mark my words!

"I can too. Why do you think I came over?" I smirked.

"To annoy me to death? To establish an alibi for some girlfriend you blew off? To get advice on your Herbology essay?"

I didn't respond. Instead, I was too busy looking at her intricate handwriting that sprawled over rolls and rolls of parchment spread before me. Even though she had such neat penmanship, Weasley was oddly careless as to where she wrote. Her notes were written in the margins, smack in the middle of the parchment, slanting here and there across the page and even in some cases over older text.

"Anyway Malfoy," she continued, "I've stopped trying to figure out how your mind works a long time ago."

"You even bothered in the first place?" I asked her in a surprised tone.

To my amazement, I saw a slight hint of a blush creeping up her neck. She hid her face and bent down even lower over her essay. Pausing as if unsure of what to say, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Finally, she murmured, "Had to, to attempt to get you in check."

"Attempt, being the key word," I said pointedly.

"'Attempt' my arse," she said, raising her sky blue eyes to meet my grey ones. "You know I won that last game fair and square, Malfoy."

Check, Weasley.

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A/N: Please, as I am not a seventeen year old male (I am, however, seventeen and female) feedback would be welcome to see how well I pulled this off


	4. Knight to c6

**A/N: Wow, it feels like forever since I've updated. Sadly my computer got a virus so I've been severely lacking in the return-PM-to-kind-reviews obligation of being an author. Right now I've stolen my sister's computer to update, and my time is limited... so right now I'd just like to thank all you amazing reviewers who took the time to both read and write something about my little fic.**

**Disclaimer: Scorp and Rose aren't mine. Ciceron is though, but I don't really like OC's much. Sadly, he is necessary.**

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"Scorpius, mate, haven't seen you in ages," said Ciceron Zabini when I saw him outside Arithmancy.

"Oh yeah?" I drawled slowly, "As I recall, we caught up just yesterday." He followed me as I exited the classroom and turned to the Charms corridor.

Ciceron nodded wisely next to me. "Oh yes, but, you see, that was yesterday. And today is today."

That bloke always confused me. "Bugger off if you're going to be so bloody cryptic," I said shortly as I started to head for a secret passageway next to the sixth floor History of Magic classroom.

Apparently he caught on that I didn't have any patience today for his vaguely worded answers. "Well, let's just say that during the early hours of this morning I heard a rumour concerning you and a certain half-blood, blood traitor."

"Don't call her that," I said sharply, my hand tightening over the strap of my bag slung over my shoulder.

Ciceron inhaled excitedly. "So it's true, then?" Out of the corner of my eye I saw that he was smiling hugely. "Rose Weasley, huh? I mean, she's good looking and all, but really?"

Damn. Bloody Slytherin prat tricked me. "No," I denied smoothly, keeping my face blank. "Nothing is happening between Weasley and myself."

"Really?" he didn't look convinced.

"Nothing at all," I said as I ducked behind a tapestry. "We play chess at night."

"Oh you play _chess_," said Ciceron as he emerged behind me in the cramped dark corridor. "Is that what the kids call it nowadays?" He grinned slyly at me.

"No. Chess, you git, as in the board game. We've been playing it for the past month and a half," I said, scowling. "As if I'd ever let Weasley play those other kinds of games with me."

There was no way that I'd ever tell Ciceron that the innuendo he was insinuating did not repulse me nearly as much as I let on. Especially with Weasley.

He looked surprised at my answer. "She's is one alright looking bird. You really wouldn't?"

I paused a moment, considering how to answer and divert his suspicion. Merlin, this must be why I wasn't placed in Slytherin! Better change the subject instead.

Bugger.

As I was thinking of a response, we emerged from the passageway next to the sixth floor entrance of the library.

"I need to finish my potions assignment, you coming with?" I asked, turning to Ciceron.

"Sure," he replied and followed me into the potions section of the library.

I wandered around the bookshelves reaching up and plucking my needed books down from the shelves as I saw them, listening to Ciceron jabber on.

It was only as I was picking out a rather vibrant red book on love potions that he brought up the topic that I'd hoped he dropped back in the passageway. "Back to the whole Weasley thing, you wouldn't shag her given the chance?"

I paused, thinking hard on how to phrase my answer. "No," I said shortly. "I would not be caught dead in some empty classroom with that Weasley girl."

It's true. I wouldn't. Not that I'd given it significant thought or anything, but I'd always fantasized about doing it in the Room of Requirement. It seemed like a much more comfortable area than in some dusty old classroom. Plus you didn't have to be worried about prefects barging in after ten thirty. That's bloody embarrassing, let me tell you.

Suddenly I saw a flash of red dart from between the bookshelves. Needless to say, it was not the scarlet potions book which I quickly dropped to the floor in shock. The heavy tome landed with a loud thud which was still not loud enough to cover my vibrant swears.

Making my apologies to Ciceron while mentally cursing his bad timing and uncomfortable questions, I hurried after Weasley's retreating form. She had undoubtedly heard me, I was sure of it. "Weasley!" I shouted as soon as I realized what had happened. "Fuck!" I swore.

"Just you wait one second there young man!" I heard someone shriek from directly in front of me.

I skidded to a halt in front of the librarian that had just appeared out of one the bookshelves to my right.

"I heard you're inappropriate language from all the way back there; do you have any sense of proper library etiquette?" she screeched.

I groaned as I saw Weasley exit the library without looking back at me.


	5. Black in Check, again

It was nine twenty and I was up in my dormitory, avoiding Malfoy like the plague. I was a bloody coward, and I knew it. This must be why I wasn't sorted into Gryffindor.

The way I saw it, there were two possible reactions that Malfoy might have in store for me. None of them made me very happy.

I could just picture him with his telltale smirk, standing over the chessboard saying, "Oh Weasley, I totally stand by what you overhead earlier. You're just not the type a bloke like me, or hell, any bloke could fancy. It's true. Better hone your chess skills to fill those lonely nights, right?"

Or I could just see his handsome face a bit unsettled by the unfamiliar taste of contriteness, saying, "Oh Weasley, I'm sorry you had to hear it like that, but it's true. I won't deny it, it's just my opinion and I'm sure you'll find, er, someone _somewhere_, who's willing to be with you. Someday. So let's get that board out, eh?"

"You need to go face him sometime," a soft voice said to my right.

I whipped my head around to glare at my best mate sitting on the bed next to me. "No I don't," I maintained stubbornly

"You can't stay here forever."

"Sure I can."

Sarah looked at me with sympathetic eyes. "Just because he hurt you doesn't mean he doesn't feel bad."

I gave a weak laugh. "Malfoys don't feel remorse."

She looked down. "Be that as it may, you must respect him enough to allow him to explain what you heard, right?"

"I don't want to get hurt further," I whispered and I felt the tears I'd been holding back since that awful moment in the library begin to fall.

"Could you honestly feel any worse than you do now?"

I thought about it. "I don't think so." I breathed in heavily. "I know Scorpius could never fancy me; I'm just not his type. But, to hear him say it like that," I paused and fought down the sobs that had just begun to wrack my chest, "was painful," I finished.

"What do you mean you're 'not his type'?" said Sarah in an outraged voice, "Have you ever thought about how that's a good thing? Maybe he isn't looking for his usual 'type,' his flings never last long, anyway. Perhaps you'd have a chance for something real."

"With Scorpius Malfoy?" I asked her, beginning to question her sanity.

"That is who we're talking about, isn't it?" she said smartly.

"B-but," I stuttered, wiping away my tears, "He'd never go for someone like me."

"Why the hell not?" Sarah demanded loudly.

"Because I'm too smart for him, he seems like the kind of bloke who likes being fawned over and he always has someone gorgeous hanging off his arm."

"You know, Rose, I've seen Malfoy with his dates in Hogsmeade," she said thoughtfully. "He always looks awfully bored all the time. I've spied on you a couple of times during some of your chess games with him; I've never seen him so animated outside of class." Sarah shook her head, baffled. "He definitely enjoys your company, fawning or no fawning."

"Yeah, but not as a romantic prospect," I sniffed.

She shook my head at my foolishness, but didn't argue back. Instead she said, "You'll have to get this over with sooner or later. Why don't you get yourself cleaned up and meet him downstairs for that game you two seem to love so much?

"Let's go," she muttered, helping me up and leading me into the bathroom to dry off my face and make myself presentable.

That was why, fifteen minutes later, I was hovering on the stairwell, just about to enter the common room and face Scorpius Malfoy. I took a deep breath to steel myself, and walked straight over to where he was sitting, chessboard placed in front of him, as usual.

He looked deep in thought, and only jerked up his white blond head to stare at me when I said loudly, "Sorry I'm late," with confidence I didn't feel.

"Look Ro-"

I cut him off, "Look here, Malfoy," I said, drowning out his reply. "I couldn't care less about what you said in the library."

His face drained of the little colour it possessed.

"Frankly," I continued, "I thought you were above such derogatory statements. Honestly, 'that Weasley girl' is all I am to you? You can't even bother to specify my first name?" I shook my head. "The only reason I'm down here is because you're the only good chess player here that I could find on such short notice. Let's just play, alright?" Sighing, I sat down across from him and moved my first pawn.

He nodded silently. I had rendered him speechless.

Check, Malfoy.

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A/N: I don't know any of the magic words that authors use to get reviews, and so all I can say is, "Please review!"


	6. Knight to a7

"Scor, wait up!"

I turned at the sound of a familiar voice, and watched bemusedly as Albus Severus Potter poked his head out of his Gryffindor portrait hole and jogged to where I had stopped. I continued walking as he busied himself stuffing a bit of old parchment into his bag.

"Yeah?" I asked, a bit surly.

"What's your problem?" asked Al, studying my face carefully from behind his round glasses.

"Nothing," I said, a bit too quickly.

Al raised an eyebrow.

"You're cousin," I admitted, sighing heavily and continuing on my way down the seventh floor.

"Which one?" Al said, grinning. "You know, Scorp I have so many..."

"Shut it."

He sensed that I wasn't in a very happy mood and dropped the joking attitude."What'd dear old Rosie do now?" he asked curiously.

"Absolutely bloody nothing."

"So what's the problem?" pressed Al.

"That."

He simply looked confused. "Look, Scor, I know she's sometimes a pain in the arse, but whatever you did, she'll forgive you... you know that, right?"

"How do you know I did anything?" I asked a bit defensively as I looked away to adjust the books in my bag.

I straightened to see Al glaring at me. "I'm not stupid. If Rose has done 'absolutely bloody nothing' then you've done absolutely bloody something to piss her off."

"Fine," I admitted. "I screwed up. Badly," I said blandly.

"What'd you do?" Al asked.

"She'll never talk to me again," I evaded, rubbing the heels of my hands into my eye sockets. Last night had been the most awkward game yet. We barely said anything after Rose's little speech, just 'goodnight' after she took my queen when the clock struck eleven thirty. I didn't get much sleep either, to make matters worse.

"What did you do?" Al repeated much more seriously.

I sighed, "I _might_ have insinuated that I would never have a relationship with her and that I couldn't distinguish her from the many other Weasleys at Hogwarts," I said in a rush.

He closed his eyes in horror for a second. Opening them, he gave a low whistle. "Oh Merlin," he said, grimacing, "You're not kidding."

I nodded curtly.

"Do you know if she still fancies you?"

What?

"Do you know if she still fancies you?" Al repeated when I didn't answer, looking annoyed that I hadn't immediately responded.

Trying to process what he was hinting at, I choked out, "Excuse me?" staring at Al with wide eyes.

"Does Rosie still fancy you or not?" He enunciated each word carefully as if I was slow.

"Sh-she, fancied me?" I asked, stunned. Never, during all the games we played together over the past month, did she ever give any indication that she fancied me.

Al rolled his eyes. "Of course she did!"

"What do you mean 'of course she did' Albus Severus?" I asked in a deadly serious voice, stopping in the middle of the corridor.

I heard Al let out an exasperated breath before he turned to face me. "I thought you knew!"

"I bloody well did _not,_" I told him coldly.

"Well that explains why you never made a move, considering how much you fancy her too," he said steadily. "You honestly had no idea?"

"No!" I almost shouted, startling a few passing second years. "How would I?"

"Um," Al shuffled nervously from foot to foot. "I didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" I asked, hiding my fury behind a calm facade.

"That when you told me to ask Rosie if you and she were an item she got very defensive," said Al, "insisted that it was nothing, like five times. Also got as red as a tomato. Plus, her mate told me that she fancied you."

That whole calm thing I had going on? Totally gone.

"Bloody hell," I swore, loosening my blue and bronze tie around my throat, "That was _weeks_ ago!" I spun around and grabbed Al by the shoulders. Looking startled, he stared at me with wide eyes. "What do I do?" I begged. "How do I make this right?"

"First, releasing me is always a good idea," Al said, delicately removing my fingers from where they gripped his robes. "Second, just tell Rose how you feel. If I know my cousin, it'll all smooth over if she hears what you've got to say. Just sort it out between yourselves."

I really didn't like fancying Rose Weasley at all. I mean, look what she's made me do already! I've gone around looking like a sleep depraved madman for half the day, nearly assaulted her cousin, and also begged said cousin for advice. Malfoys never beg! Ever.

Kill me now, I'm such a disgrace.

And the sad part was that the only thing I could think of that would make me feel better would be one of Rose's smiles, like when she took my knight in a truly spectacular move the other week. That could make this whole mess worth it, I figured.


	7. White in Check, again

**Disclaimer: Neither Rose nor Scorpius are mine.**

**A/N: So here it is, the final chapter! I'll have another author's note at the bottom because I know you're probably skipping this anyway.**

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"Look, Malfoy, I'm kind of tired tonight," Rose was saying to me, fiddling with a pawn that was currently squeaking in her hands, "I don't think I'm up for one of our games. In fact," she paused, and looked at me for the first time since last night, "I don't think I really can continue doing this."

"If you want," I drawled tonelessly.

"I mean, our professors have been giving us so much work lately, and I think I need this valuable time to get all my work done. Just today..." she rambled on.

I peered closely at her face from where I was lounging back in the chair across from the board. I could tell she was nervous; just like when her queen was in danger, Rose was rolling one my taken pieces in between her fingers as she figured out her next move.

"...and so I think it would be best if we both give our chess games a break," she finished, setting my pawn down.

Hiding my panic, I said slowly, "Perhaps one more, just finish the game we've got here?"

She looked at me doubtfully.

"Please, Rose," I asked quietly.

She stood there, stunned, for a minute. I had never called her by her first name before even though we had been playing with each other for the past month and a half.

Slightly dazed, she sat back down and we began to play.

After I directed my knight I said suddenly, "I didn't mean it, you know, what I said in the library."

Her face went from surprised to sceptical faster than I could recite Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration.

"Oh?" she said shortly. Evidently that was all, as she then proceeded to tell her queen to pummel my last remaining bishop.

"Well, no, I did," I backtracked.

Immediately her face took on a stony look of resignation.

"Of course you did," said Rose dully, watching the fight with a feigned absorbed expression.

"But not in the way you thought." I shook my head, "No, not at all."

She looked up at me, curiosity etched all over her features. Once she realized I was looking at her too, she forced it back and put on a look of polite detachment.

"How else can I interpret, 'I would not be caught dead in some empty classroom with that Weasley girl'?" she quoted perfectly with a disgusted expression, trying and relatively succeeding from keeping the hurt from her voice, but I could hear it just the same.

I watched in absolute horror as moisture began to gather in her eyes. "You know," she said quickly, reaching for her bag and turning her face away from me, "I think this was a bad idea after all. Good night, Malfoy."

I reached up over the board and grabbed her wrist to prevent her from leaving. "Get your bloody hand off me," Rose said fiercely, trying to squirm away. "You made it quite clear you wouldn't ever want to touch me, so do yourself a favour and let me go."

"I said I don't want to do it in an empty classroom," I said smoothly as I pulled her closer to me so that she was standing right beside my chair.

I saw her blue eyes widen in confusion as I continued silkily, "I never said anything about anywhere else in the castle." I reached up and yanked her right down into my lap. "In fact, I distinctly remember not mentioning anything about the Ravenclaw common room in particular," I muttered in her ear once she was close enough to hear.

I felt Rose shiver slightly at my proximity. "Oh yeah?" she raised her eyebrows to indicate her distrust of me as she shifted her position slightly.

She was leaning as far away from me as possible, even while being seated on my thighs. I briefly wondered if Al had been exaggerating about Rose fancying me, but then, I reasoned with myself, she would have hexed me good and proper if I had done anything she didn't approve of.

I checked her pocket. Ah yes, there's her wand, perfectly within her range. Plus, since she was so close to me, slapping wasn't out of the question either.

"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded, looking me square in face.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" I asked scornfully. For all the good marks she got in school she could be surprisingly dense sometimes. "Trying to convince you that you were wrong about what I said." I watched her light blue eyes widen slightly. "And you're making it bloody difficult, I must say," I added.

She immediately began to protest. "I just don't see how you can ev-"

I cut her off. Effectively. I mean, her mouth was already open and everything. It was just too easy to cover it with mine and slide my tongue in.

A bloke had to take his opportunities when they were offered, especially with such a problematic bird like Rose Wealsey.

After a moment, while Rose was busy lining kisses along my jaw, I leaned over the unfinished chess game and belatedly moved my final piece.

Check and mate, Weasley.

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A/N: So there it was, the Final Chapter. *sob* it's over! Yes I know it was a bit cliche, and little fluffy, but my big ol' romantic at heart couldn't make it any different. Hopefully you kind readers wouldn't mind indulging me.

**First off, I'd like to give a huge, and I mean super-mega huge, thank you to **_**Yellow 14**_** and **_**Avanell**_**, who reviewed every single chapter since I started Checkmate. You guys are truly spectacular.**

**Second off... I really have nothing to say except the ever-asked command of "Review, please!" **

**Please don't favorite without reviewing. I know it's tempting, but just writing out 'great fic' is simply smashing to an easy-to-please author like myself. I even sometimes favorite without reviewing, but only for fics that already have 100+ reviews. So, I give all you readers out there (who liked my story enough to favorite it) permission to do so when I have more than 100 reviews! Hehe, as if that'll ever happen. Until then, please, please review!**

**- Veri**


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